Genetic and environmental factors underlying phenotypic traits in the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis Lamarck, 1819

doctoral thesis

• Title (croatian): Utjecaj genetičkih i okolišnih čimbenika na fenotipska obilježja mediteranske dagnje Mytilus galloprovincialis Lamarck, 1819
• Author: Dorotea Grbin
• Mentor: Anamaria Štambuk (mentor)
• Committee member: Sandra Radić Brkanac (predsjednik povjerenstva); MBZ: 245550
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Science; (Department of Biology); Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2019-06-04, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: NATURAL SCIENCES; Biology
• Universal decimal classification (UDC): 57 - Biological sciences. Physical anthropology. Biodiversity

Abstract

Phenotypic diversity is multifactorial and understanding how it arises within and among species is a long-term goal of evolutionary biology. This study tested the association between environment, phenotype and genotype of Mytilus galloprovincialis populations along the eastern Adriatic coast. The analyses of environmental variables, mussel morphology, genetic architecture, biomarkers, and induced mortality were implemented on native populations and in transplant experiments. Core results underline that phenotypic variability exists between mussel’s populations and is driven by numerous environmental factors. Results of the transplant experiment led to a conclusion that biomarker status varies among Adriatic regions dependent upon the environmental variables, and between clean and polluted sites depending on metal concentrations. Mesocosm experiment showed population effect on survival and biomarker response. Estimates of mussel’s genetic architecture pointed to conclusion that analysed morphological traits are polygenic and moderately heritable. This study promotes the importance of combining quantitative genetics with experimental approaches to obtain insightful data on phenotypic plasticity and adaptive responses.

Abstract (croatian)

Fenotipska raznolikost određena je nizom čimbenika, te je njeno razumijevanje unutar i između vrsta jedna od glavnih zadaća evolucijske biologije. Cilj ovog rada bio je testirati povezanost između okolišnih varijabli, fenotipa i genetičkih karakteristika populacija dagnje Mytilus galloprovincialis, duž istočne obale Jadrana. U tu svrhu provedene su analize okolišnih varijabli, morfoloških karakteristika i genetičke strukture dagnji, biomarkera, transplant eksperimenata, i inducirane smrtnosti u prirodnim populacijama i transplant eksperimentima. Ključni rezultati ističu da fenotipska raznolikost postoji između populacija dagnji, te je određena brojnim okolišnim čimbenicima. Rezultati transplant eksperimenta pokazali su da aktivnost biomarkera varira između Jadranskih regija ovisno o okolišnim čimbenicima, te između čistih i onečišćenih istraživanih postaja ovisno o akumuliranoj koncentraciji metala u tkivu dagnje. Mezokozmos eksperiment pokazao je populacijski efekt s obzirom na aktivnost biomarkera. Kvantitativna procjena genetičke strukture dagnj ističe poligenska i slabo nasljedna svojstva analiziranih morfoloških karakteristika. Ovaj rad ističe važnost kombiniranja eksperimentalnih pristupa s kvantnom genetikom u svrhu procjene fenotipkse plastičnosti i adaptivnih odgovora.

• Keywords: Mytilus galloprovincialis; environmental factors; phenotype; biomarkers; genetic
• Keywords (english): Mytilus galloprovincialis; okolišne varijable; fenotip; biomarkeri; genetička arhitektura
• Language: english
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:217:808266
• Study programme: Title: Biology; Study programme type: university; Study level: postgraduate; Academic / professional title: doktor/doktorica znanosti, područje prirodnih znanosti, polje biologija (doktor/doktorica znanosti, područje prirodnih znanosti, polje biologija)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2019-07-16 09:56:38